


Pale Morning Light

by scoresandstars



Category: Harlots (TV)
Genre: F/F, but it's like... not about that?, rated E for like... five lines of smut, there's a sex scene, these gays are just big ol dorks who love each other, they just can't quite say it yet but that is FINE and we SUPPORT THEM
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-14
Updated: 2018-08-14
Packaged: 2019-06-27 05:11:59
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,359
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15678705
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/scoresandstars/pseuds/scoresandstars
Summary: A glimpse into two souls; a snapshot between their first time and the morning after.





	Pale Morning Light

**Author's Note:**

> Hey friends, wanted to get this posted before the new episode tomorrow night. Hope you enjoy! :)

_“Hear my soul speak. Of the very instant that I saw you, did my heart fly at your service.”_

_-Shakespeare, The Tempest_

 

The wee hours of the morning in the house on Greek Street are the quietest time of day. There is a stillness, when all the girls, Pa, and Jacob are asleep, where Charlotte can hear their house settling into the ground beneath them. The silence acts as a balm to Charlotte, reminding her of the quiet summer nights when Lucy would sneak into her room and they’d stay up to watch the sunrise, whispering about anything and everything before Charlotte would have to entertain her first cull.

The silence that currently washes over Charlotte is broken only by the deep breathing of the sleeping, miraculous woman lying next to her.

Charlotte’s eyes drink her in, tracing across her jaw, up a cheek, and down the bridge of her nose. They fall to Isabella’s chest, rising gently in sleep. Charlotte counts the red imprints her lips have left rather smugly, for there are more marks across the pale canvas than poppies haunting a battlefield.

“You are staring.”

Charlotte startles, one hand flying to her chest. Isabella is blinking over at her, eyes tender, mouth curled up on one side. Charlotte feels a warmth float through her stomach and settle, as if she had sipped a large mouthful of wine, or swallowed a coal.

“You look so beautiful. Sorry for disturbin’ you.” Charlotte reaches to run her fingertips across the arm closest to her. Isabella immediately opens her body up to rest more on her back, and Charlotte recognizes the invitation for what it is.

“You could never disturb me,” Isabella breathes as Charlotte’s fingers drip over her hip, “In fact, my only wish is for you to disrupt my slumber, this and every night hence.”

Charlotte smiles wryly. “You shouldn’t say such things if you don’t mean them. Don’t get a girl’s hopes up, now.”

“Who claims that I do not mean them?”

Charlotte drags Isabella closer by her hips, swings a leg over her waist, and engulfs her mouth in a messy, urgent kiss.

“Keep saying sweet things and I’ll never let you leave my bed.” Charlotte punctuates her words with swift presses of her mouth against Isabella’s.

“Now who is getting who’s hopes up?” Isabella smiles, tangling her fingers in the short hair of the woman above her.

Charlotte surges forward once more to press another searing kiss to her lover’s lips.

“May I touch you again?” She asks, hand already trailing downwards. Isabella nods vigorously, but her eyebrows draw together. Charlotte’s hand pauses.

“But… why, may I ask?” Isabella looks down at Charlotte’s chest, and Charlotte would be flattered if she thought it was for any other reason than Isabella not being able to look her in the eyes. “Did you… not receive pleasure earlier?”

“Oh, trust me,” Charlotte reassures, smirking, “I received plenty. But I also derive great pleasure in giving you pleasure, and I think that you deserve as much as I can give you.”

“You do not… tire of me?” Isabella questions softly, and Charlotte moves a hand to cup her cheek.

“Never. You are a wonder, Isabella, and now that I have tasted you, I do not think the well of my lust for you will ever dry up.” Charlotte’ fingers drag slowly down Isabella’s throat.

Isabella nods, reassured. Her eyes turn coy. “Well then; touch me, Charlotte.”

Charlotte, grinning satisfied at the request, lets her hand continue its journey down Isabella’s body.

“You are the most breathtaking woman I have ever lain with.” She starts, dipping a single finger into Isabella’s folds.

“Have you lain with very many women?” Isabella huffs, back jutting off the mattress.

Charlotte smiles into the skin of her neck and circles Isabella’s entrance, teasing, before she enters ever so gently.

“Not many, my lady, but you are the first that I’ve pursued with intention.” She curls her fingers slightly and coaxes a moan out of Isabella.

Isabella says no more, overwhelmed by the sensations that Charlotte is providing her, and Charlotte is content with beginning to rock her fingers harder into the older woman.

“It has been one of the greatest joys of my life to see you come, Isabella, and I can’t wait to see it happen again.” Charlotte punctuates her words with the scissoring of her fingers, arm shaking with the effort of hammering in and out of Isabella’s cunny. She brings her thumb around to rub Isabella’s clit like a lucky coin.

It is a testament to how worked up Charlotte makes Isabella, and the trust she has towards the other woman, that after only a few more passionate thrusts, Isabella is able to simply look into Charlotte’s eyes and let out a silent scream, completely unburdened in her release.

Charlotte brings Isabella down with a smile, pressing kisses to every inch of her face, and when Isabella has stopped writhing, she is rewarded with a smile.

Isabella’s smiles are so rare, even with her, that Charlotte keeps every one she receives safe in a treasure chest in the corner of her heart. She wipes her fingers into the corner of the sheet before scooting as close as her body will allow to Isabella.

“What did I do to deserve you, Charlotte Wells? What saintly acts did I commit in a former life to be given this gift in this one?” Isabella whispers, eyes fluttering slowly.

“Everyone is deserving of love, Isabella, but perhaps none so much as you.” Charlotte says, earnestness rolling off of her in waves. “To have suffered as you did and do every day, and remain kind-hearted and open to love is remarkable. _You_ are remarkable.”

Isabella’s lip begins to quiver, and Charlotte leans over to kiss away the coming tears.

“I have given myself away for free only once before.” Charlotte starts, hesitant. “His name was Daniel. He’s in America now, but,” she pauses, blinking away tears of her own, “he offered me love. I told him that Harlots don’t have that opportunity, but he convinced me otherwise. I thought that his was the only love I would ever receive that was given freely from both sides. When he left, I thought I would never love again. But you, Isabella? From the moment I saw you, you’ve wormed your way into my heart and I knew that I had to be with you. You’re the only person I’ve ever chased, Isabella, because even upon our first meeting, I saw the goodness within you.”

Isabella interrupts Charlotte’s speech by reaching a hand around the base of Charlotte’s skull and connecting their lips in a kiss that would shake the very earth around them. She is freely crying now, and Charlotte continues to kiss her feverishly while wiping her tears with her fingers.

“Please, Isabella. Stay. You’re safe with me. I will keep you safe.”

Isabella smiles bitterly. “I have to head back in the morning, dearest. Harcourt must never know I’ve been gone or he would do something dreadful to you, and I never want ill fate of any sort to befall you, and certainly not for my decisions.”

“Then sleep, my love. It is not yet morning and I wish to hold you in my arms for as long as possible.” Charlotte nods seriously, pulling Isabella into her chest and feeling her smile there.

“I can see the hints of light through your curtains, dear heart, I should start dressing.”

“Shhh.” Charlotte whispers, smoothing Isabella’s hair. Her companion lets out the ghost of a chuckle at Charlotte’s antics. “Stay just a little while longer. I wish to feel your heart beat against my chest.”

“You’re a charmer, Charlotte Wells.” Isabella settles against her once more. “Just a short while longer, then.”

Isabella stays until the pale morning light covers both their feet, and only leaves Charlotte once the harlot has extracted a promise to return, and a long farewell kiss. She leaves Charlotte’s bed beaming from ear to ear, and Charlotte unloads an armful of new memories and smiles into the secret, safe corner of her heart.

**Author's Note:**

> This pairing has a critical shortage of fics so I wanted to do my part. Hope you enjoyed!


End file.
